Sloan was going crazy. She walked out of the women’s restroom at the Century City AMC, Addison’s hand held tightly in hers, and she knew she’d fully lost her mind. She spotted Rafe bent over, tying Avery’s shoe right near the parking validation machine, and right then and there, she made up her mind. Tonight she was going to have sex with Rafe. Or at the very least, get up the courage to touch his erection.

It was the last Friday before school started and she’d promised the girls that she would take them to the movies. She could have handled them alone, without Rafe’s help, but the girls wanted him to come along. As they made their way through the parking garage and up the escalators to catch the six p.m. show of Piglet’s Big Adventure, she was grateful for the backup. It had been a long, busy week and Sloan was getting used to having Rafe around for the girls’ bedtime.

This was something else though. Out in the wild, Rafe really was something to behold and so was the way people reacted to him. Drew was taller than Sloan, but he was still way shorter than Rafe and he didn’t have the tattoos. By Rafe’s side, Sloan felt like a VIP of the kindergarten set as people practically jumped out of his way to let them by. They got a few stares, but Sloan didn’t miss the people who were just straight up checking him out.

Of course he backed Sloan up when Addison started winding up for a soda-related tantrum. He was on the clock. There was stark difference between being home with Rafe and the girls and being out. As they walked out of the theater and he gently slid his hand down Sloan’s back, she had the fleeting feeling that she could get used to this, having Rafe with her. Especially after seeing how good he was with the girls and just how comfortable they were becoming with him.

There also seemed to be another shift between Sloan and Rafe. Sometime in the last twenty-fours, after the goodnight kiss they shared, Sloan was starting to feel like it maybe wasn’t so crazy for her to be crushing on him and for him to be crushing on her back. Sure, there was a minefield of what the fuck in front of them if anyone found out that she was making out with her nanny, had let him fingerbang her into oblivion and was hoping he would do all that and more the next time they could steal some time alone.

It was more than his insanely good looks or the sexy tattoos crawling up the sides of his neck that made Sloan want to jump him the minute she and Addison came out of the restroom. It was the way he looked at Avery when he held up his massive fist for her to bump. The gesture drove Sloan insane, especially as it had been co-opted over the years, but the way Avery smashed her tiny fist to his and then practically jumped into his arms made Sloan’s left and right ventricles work a little harder. It was so damn cliche, but there was something so incredibly sexy about a man who was good with kids, especially your kids.

When he saw her, he shot her a devastating smile, then set Avery back on her feet. “Survived the mad rush to the ladies’ room?”

“We did. And now I think it’s time to head home and get in bed. How about it, love bugs?”

“I don’t want to go to bed,” Addison yawned.

“It’ll be great. I promise.”

They got the girls home and Sloan praised the heavens when both of them were practically falling asleep as she got them in their pajamas.

“For some reason, I’m wide awake,” Sloan announced when they were alone, making their way down the stairs. Her tone was as subtle as a dump truck speeding over a huge pothole.

“I hate it when I’m wide awake. Wink, wink,” he teased.

“Well, I was going to watch a movie or something, but you don’t have to join me.”

“I’d considered retiring to my room and mulling over the life choices Piglet made on his big adventure, but I could go for another episode of Horny Millennials by a Pool.”

“Match Made In Paradise? You liked it, didn’t you?”

“After you left the other night, I watched two more episodes.”

“Well, now I need to catch up! Let’s watch John Wick 2. I haven’t seen it yet.”

“I thought you couldn’t do violence.”

“I can do, like, stunt martial arts and car explosions. Not tortured, shot in the head at point blank range violence.”

“I’m gonna go plug in my phone. You pick a movie with just the right type violence.”

“’Kay.” Sloan waited a moment until she was alone in the kitchen before letting out the breath she’d been holding. She grabbed some water, then went over to the couch and found the second installment of John Wick on her streaming service. Rafe came back a few minutes later. They’d literally been together for the last four hours, but she was still caught off guard by how sexy he was. The beard and tattoos were enough, but there was also a certain swagger in the way he walked. For some silly reason, she saw there was a chance he might not try to sit near her on the mile-wide sectional that took up most of the living room. She was relieved when he made himself comfortable right beside her.

It was time to make her move. “You wanna cuddle?” she asked.

“Fuck yeah, I do.”

Sloan moved closer and just being near Rafe again made her feel warm all over. A certain tingling sensation spread all over her body when his arm came around her waist, pulling her right up against him. This is what she’d been wanting all night.

She started the movie and for a while—like forty-five seconds—Sloan was completely enthralled with Keanu and his sweet baby pit bull, until Rafe started slowly moving his fingers up and down, just under her breast. She almost laughed thinking of how right Xeni was. The pussy juice had definitely hit her system, triggering the physiological response that came with pure arousal. Goosebumps, an unmistakable tightness in her throat and the fresh sense of determination followed it. She was getting that dick tonight.

She settled deeper into the couch, resting her head on Rafe’s shoulder. Sloan was terrible at dirty talk and definitely not the best at seduction. She decided to let her fingers do the work. Her hand ghosted up his thigh, closer to the crotch of his jeans.

“Is this okay?” she asked quietly.

“Yeah, it’s more than okay,” he replied. Sloan finally heard what raw arousal did to his already sexy voice. “Here.” He shuffled a little, spreading his thighs and pressing further into the couch. Sloan had better access then and she took full advantage, palming him with her whole hand. She’d forgotten how much she liked feeling a man’s dick swelling against her fingers. She stroked him over his jeans for a while, listening to the way he was breathing, trying to ignore to how badly her pussy was aching.

When it was clear his cock was straining against the soft denim, she carefully started working on his belt buckle. Inside she felt like she was shaking with need, but her hand was steady as she reached inside the slit in his boxers and took his girth in her hand. He spread his thighs a bit more to make it easier for her to pull his cock out.

She looked up at him as she started stroking his thick erection. His eyes were closed, his red lashes barely touching his skin. When his tongue eased out and wet his bottom lip, Sloan leaned up and kissed him. It must have caught him off guard because he jumped a little, his eyes snapping open.

“Sorry.” Sloan sheepishly pulled away, though her hand kept moving up and down.

“Don’t apologize. Come here.” He pulled her closer and then kissed her properly. Sloan melted against him, pressing her thighs together, trying to ease the throbbing ache in her clit. Unfortunately, it just spurred her own frustrating arousal. She broke their kiss and slid down on the couch. She couldn’t take every inch of him, but Sloan gave it her best try, swirling her tongue over the tip before taking the swollen crown between her lips. She’d always loved sucking dick and it been so long since she’d had the pleasure.

She drooled down his shaft, using her hand to spread her saliva down the inches she couldn’t fit in her mouth. Her reward was the guttural moan that vibrated rough Rafe’s chest. A whimper of her own got stuck in her throat when his strong fingers flipped up her skirt and spread her legs apart. He just barely grazed her clit when she couldn’t take it anymore. Climbing over his lap, she straddled him, pressing her lips to his again. His firm grip went to her ass, pressing her against his heavy erection. She humped him shamelessly, reveling in the feeling of his dick rubbing against her cunt through the fabric of her underwear.

A small orgasm ran through her and she had to break the kiss to catch her breath. With the tenderest touch, Rafe reached up and ran his thumb over her lips.

“You okay?”

“Yeah,” Sloan breathed. “I, uh—I have condoms upstairs.” Sloan had an IUD. Still, she couldn’t guarantee that Rafe carried around protection. She’d figured it wouldn’t hurt to grab some on her way home from work.

“Yeah, why don’t you go grab those.” Sloan hopped off the couch, straightened her dress as she casually took the stairs to her bedroom two at a time, slowing down only to tiptoe by her daughters’ door. She pulled the box out of the corner of the top of her bathroom linen closet. Her body trembled at the thought of just how good it would feel to climb back across his lap and take him inside her, but just as she ripped two new condoms off the roll, her mom sense activated. She shoved the box back its hiding spot after she heard the sound of tiny feet shuffling across her bedroom carpet.

“Mommy?” Avery called out.

“Yeah, baby—” Avery was standing in the doorway with tears streaming down her face. The condoms were instantly forgotten. “Oh honey, what’s wrong?”

“I had a bad dream.”

“Oh, sweetie. I’m sorry.” Sloan scooped Avery up and brought her back over to her bed. “What happened in your dream?”

“I don’t know,” she sobbed a little harder.

“It’s okay, baby. You’re okay. Let’s get you back in bed.”

“No!” Avery wailed, clinging to her with all her strength. “I want to stay with you.”

“Okay, okay. Come on.” With a groan, Sloan hefted Avery up and settled against her headboard. She pulled her throw blanket over them both. When she went to reach for her phone, she realized her purse was still downstairs. Great. Hopefully Rafe would intuit the reason she’d just bailed on their sexcapades.

It took some humming, some gentle rocking back and forth, that good mom magic, but Avery finally fell asleep. Just when she started snoring, Addison appeared in the doorway, rubbing her eyes. She didn’t even say anything. She realized the party was in Sloan’s room and the only logical thing to do was to climb on the bed and make herself comfortable. Double great. Sloan surrendered to her fate and turned on the T.V., volume off.

An hour or so later, in the middle of a puddings episode of Great British Bake Off, she heard heavier footsteps in the hallway. Rafe appeared just outside her room like some sexy biker god. He poked his head in and then stepped inside, holding up her purse in one hand.

“I’m so sorry,” she mouthed.

Rafe shot her a look like she was nuts to apologize. “You know it’s okay,” he whispered back. “Rain check?”

“Oh, hell yeah.”

He came in and set her things on her nightstand. “Can you plug in my phone?”she asked.

“Yeah.” Rafe fished her phone out of the side pocket and attached it to the lightning cable by her lamp. Then he stood and gently touched stroked her braids. “I sent you a text.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

Once he was gone, she slid Avery on to the bed with her sister. After she washed the day off her face and changed into her pajamas, she looked at her phone. Sure enough, there were a couple of texts from Rafe. The first one was time stamped twenty minutes after she left him high and hard, and the rest he had just sent.

Everything okay?

A little chuckle escaped her lips as she texted him back.

She’d never sexted before, but her fingers were already typing the dirty thoughts running through her head.

Is that all you want to do?

I can still smell your pussy on my fingers.

Sloan took a deep breath and walked into the bathroom. She closed the door and quietly let out a noise that sounded like a peacock on helium.

I can wait.

“Bitch, I can’t,” Sloan groaned.

Sloan’s stomach fluttered as it filled with butterflies. She closed out of their conversation and called Xeni. She was too anxious to text. Thank god Xeni answered right away.

“You busy?”

“I’m a sexy ho in her prime, in one of the most bumping cities in the world on a Friday night. Of course I’m not. I’m crafting in bed and watching this documentary on serial killers. Why are you whispering?”

“I’m in the bathroom. The girls are asleep in my bed. I have a quick question and then I’m going to leave you alone.”

Xeni laughed. “You don’t have to leave me alone. And if this is about your ginger stud, you know I want to hear all about it. What’s going on?”

“How soon is too soon to ask a guy to be your boyfriend?”

After taking several knees and elbows to the kidney throughout the night, Sloan was surprised to wake up in bed alone. She was also shocked that it was almost nine a.m. and she’d woken up peacefully on her own. She lay there for a moment, soaking in the morning sun coming through her curtains. She closed her eyes, starfishing in the middle of her bed, and then listened very carefully. Her kids were definitely awake. There were no signs of fire or the distinct scent of blood, so she figured they could manage a few more minutes without her.

Sloan rolled over and grabbed her phone. There were more texts from Rafe from a few hours before.

Sloan shouldn’t have been surprised. It was literally his job. Still, a warmth spread through her chest at the thought that he had everything under control. She scrolled up and looked at the rest of the texts they’d shared before they’d finally called it a night and that warmth turned into a raging heat as it moved much lower.

Xeni deserved the Best Friend Ever award. She’d listened to Sloan’s confession regarding her spiraling feelings for the family nanny and gave her some sound advice. First, Xeni had needed to confirm if they had slept together yet. The answer was no, but damn were they close. As far as Xeni was concerned, there should be no boyfriend talk until they slept together. Yeah, things were great so far, but there was still a chance Rafe was terrible in bed.

And then Xeni had explained the layers of terrible. Terrible, but willing to learn versus lost cause terrible. Sloan needed to complete a bedroom evaluation on Rafe before she moved on to Do You Wanna Be My Boo. If the sex was bomb and she was really starting to catch feelings, then, Xeni said, it was time to slow the fuck down. Rafe was in her life and he wasn’t going anywhere for now. She didn’t need to jump to boo’d up talk one week in. What she did tell Sloan to do was ask him if he was seeing anyone else. It’d never dawned on her that he might be sleeping with other women, which, no shit. Why wouldn’t a guy like him be out there playing the field? She definitely needed the answer to that question before she slept with him.

If all of that was in order, then Sloan needed to ask herself what she really wanted. Fuck buddy, boyfriend or the future father of baby #3. There was nothing wrong with any of those options, but she needed to be clear about what she wanted before she had a serious conversation with Rafe. Xeni, best best friend ever.

They’d talked some more and ended up making plans for a girls night in that Saturday night. Xeni and their friend Meegan both had to spend Labor Day weekend with their families and once school started their schedules would be less flexible. Sloan would start up the grill, they’d get in some quality pool time with Addison and Avery, and after they went to bed, it was wine time. It was Rafe’s night off, so if he didn’t have plans she’d warn him that no fewer than four vivacious young women would be bopping around the first floor of her home.

With her Saturday plans well in hand, Sloan started to get up. Before she could make it to the bathroom, the instrumental version of “What Would I Do if I Could Feel?” from NBC’s version of the The Wiz started playing from her nightstand. Dammit.

She picked up her cell and hit accept. “Good morning,” she said, trying not to suck her teeth. God, she hated her ex so much.

“Hey,” Drew said, all cool and calm. “I got an email from the administrator at Whippoorwill.”

“With the school calendar, right? I made sure they had your email.”

“Yeah. I arranged a parent-teacher conference for the Friday before Labor Day.”

“Oh?”

“I’ll come down Thursday and then fly them back with me Friday morning after the meeting. I know you won’t mind them having a four-day weekend. It’s the holiday.” The girls were already staying with Drew an extra night due to Labor Day. He didn’t need another extra day.

“Actually, I do. I want them to finish that full week. I want to get them into a good rhythm.”

“Listen, you’ve already fucked up their rhythm plenty by moving. They’re only six. Missing one day of kindergarten isn’t going to derail their whole lives. Plus, it’ll give my mother some extra time with them.” And there it was. The real truth. Drew was going to hand the girls off to his mom. Susan was a nice woman when she got her way, but when Drew had the nerve to fight for visitation he should have just been honest about who was doing what when he had them.

“I’ll think about it, but I’d really prefer they didn’t miss any school so early in the year.”

“Okay. Well, I’m coming down to meet their teacher. And I want to meet this dude, Rafe.”

“This dude?” Sloan did roll her eyes then.

“Sorry. Your new childcare contractor.”

“Anyway. This all sounds great. Come on down and meet everyone.”

“You always sound so annoyed and you know what would make this all easier.”

“Easier for you and only you. I’m not moving back.”

“I’m just saying. My sister said they still had openings at Hyde Country Day School.”

Well, have some more kids with someone else and send them to Hyde Country Fucking Day then, she wanted to say, but she bit her tongue. She hated fighting with Drew. It always started off being about the kids and slowly became about how Sloan was incompetent in his eyes, in every way. She’d learned to finally stick up for herself, but when things got that far, when she was pushed to reminding him that she was almost fifteen years his junior and still a better surgeon than him, that all of her accomplishments seemed moot, especially when she broke down in tears. Just thinking about how far this shitty conversation could go was ruining her lovely sunny morning. She threw back her covers and quickly walked out of her bedroom.

“I’m wary of any private school that has openings a few days before the school year is supposed to start,” she said, thinking about how shitty it was going to be to see him next week.

“It’s a great school.”

“I don’t doubt it.” She stopped near the bottom of the stairs where she was greeted by the smell of bacon. She could hear the girls giggling and that was enough to turn her mood back around. “Do you want to speak to our children?”

“Yeah, I have a few minutes. Put Avery on.”

“Fine. Hold on.” Sloan dropped her phone to her side, then stepped into the kitchen. The girls were sitting at the island watching something on the tablet. The waffle iron was still out, but the kitchen was otherwise near spotless. Rafe and those blasted sweatpants were surveying the contents of the plasticware drawer. He was also wearing a muscle tee that showed off his glorious tattooed arms. He looked up at the sound of her voice.

“Love bugs, your daddy is on the phone for you.” Sloan strategically handed Avery the phone, then walked around the far side of the island just to stop herself from walking straight to Rafe and asking him for a good morning kiss. Still, she felt his eyes on her as she grabbed herself a glass of water.

“You want waffles, Dr. Copeland? I can make you waffles. Cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s Monica’s recipe.”

“I’d love some waffles.” She chugged half the glass, then turned away from the fridge, bracing herself for who knows what.

“Morning,” he said when she finally made real eye contact with him. She knew there was no medical chance for her to literally combust, but looking at him made her feel like anything was possible.